“You guys are about a litre short in blood volume, ok? If I’m sitting at five litres, you’re sitting at four. So, you’re really, really sensitive to blood volume changes. If you’re a little dry, you crash. ” Dr. Nancy Klimas Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome are about a liter short of blood The low blood volume finding in chronic fatigue syndrome has been consistently replicated; there is no doubt that low blood volume is common in this disorder. Low blood volume can cause, among other things, reduced blood flows to the brain (cognitive difficulties), problems standing (orthostatic intolerance), increased heart rates and reduced heart functioning. While not the entire answer to chronic fatigue syndrome, increasing blood volume can be quite helpful. Check out Dr. Bell’s story of an ME/CFS patient who’s panic attacks turned out to be a result of her bodies attempt to deal with low blood volume. ‘Maggie’ improved tremendously using salt and Florinef and for two days she was backto her old self but then mysteriously relapsed. Increasing blood volume was helpful for her but not the answer. Indeed, a study that used drugs to increase blood volume found they did increase functionality in ME/CFS patients but were not a cure. Non-Drug Approaches Elevating Your Head While Sleeping In what’s surely the easiest practice simply elevate the head of the bed six inches by putting some risers under the bed legs at the head of the bed (or by using a body-length wedge shaped cushion. NASA uses this approach to recondition its astronauts after spaceflights. One person (see comments below) found a dramatic improvement in his sleep after doing this for a week. Salt “The reduction in salt, which is a good idea for most people, may push orthostatic intolerant people into having symptoms of OT” Dr. Peter Rowe Increasing salt intake is a quick way to increase blood volume Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome crave salt. Increasing your salt (with your doctor’spermission) and fluid intake can increase your blood volume increasing blood flows to your heart and brain, enabling you to stand more easily and think more clearly. Increasing salt intake will only work, though, if you increase your fluid intake as well for (see below). Increasing salt intake should be done slowly and is often achieved simply by eating saltier foods. Some ME/CFS and POTS patients who already had low salt intake have had dramatic improvements by increasing their salt intake. Do not increase your salt intake, however, if you have high blood pressure. Dig Deeper: Some great tips on Dig Deeper Be consistent! – Dr. Rowe suggests that patients who make a serious (i.e. consistent) effort at increasing their fluid intake will benefit the most. He recommends drinking a glass of liquid every two hours with a goal of drinking at least two liters of water a day (approximately half a gallon). If you’re trying to increase both blood volume and salt tomato juice is an excellentchoice. The Doctors Speak Dr. Teitelbaum’s Treatment Recommendations For Low Blood Volume In August 2009 Dr. Teitelbaum released his . Dr. Teitelbaum is a well known ME/CFS physician associated with the Fibro Fatigue Centers. His protocols are generally very supplement rich and often focus on hormones. Adding water or salt can help but it’s best to add them together. He believes ME/CFS patients often ‘drink like a fish and pee like a racehorse’ because their whacked out hypothalamus’s are knocking down their adrenals. Hydrate yourself by drinking lot of water. Check your hydration levels by checking your mouth and lips to see if they’re dry. Use salt liberally – keep all that water your drinking around eating a lot of salt. Eat salty foods. (V-8 juices have a good blend of salt and other electrolytes. ) Unless you have high blood pressure or heart failure, you need more salt than most people. (He believes worries about salt are one of the great myths of modern medicine.) ImproveAngiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers Drugs That Increase Blood Flows by ‘Tightening’ Blood Vessels Stimulants (Ritalin, Dexedrine, Adderall) Midodrine (ProAmatine, Amatine, Grudron Modafanil (Provigil) Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zo0loft) and escitalopram (Lexapro) or related medications like Effexor Cymbalta. Others Pyridostigmine bromide
